Flight cancellation compensation: up to €600 and a refund
A cancelled flight can entitle you to fixed EU261 or UK261 compensation on top of a refund or replacement flight. The notice the airline gave and the reason both matter. Check your flight and we'll assess it.
Checked by the FlightCompensations editorial team
Last updated 1 July 2026 · Editorial & corrections policy
The airline cancelled my flight — what am I owed?
Key takeaways
- A cancellation gives you a choice between a full refund and rerouting, regardless of the reason.
- Separate compensation of €250–€600 may also be due, based on distance and how much notice you had.
- If the airline told you 14 or more days before departure, compensation is generally not payable.
- With less than 14 days' notice, compensation can still be reduced or removed if the airline offered a close-enough replacement flight.
- 'Extraordinary circumstances' the airline could not avoid can remove the compensation right — but the airline must prove them.
- You are also entitled to care (meals, refreshments and, where needed, accommodation) while you wait.
Which situations qualify, and which usually don't?
May qualify for compensation
- The flight departed the EU/EEA or UK, or arrived there on an EU/EEA or UK airline.
- You had a confirmed booking on the cancelled flight.
- The airline cancelled the flight (rather than it merely being delayed).
- The airline gave you less than 14 days' notice of the cancellation.
- The cause was within the airline's control (e.g. staffing, technical faults, commercial decisions).
Usually excluded
- The airline told you about the cancellation at least 14 days before the scheduled departure.
- The airline rerouted you on an alternative flight within the regulation's timing thresholds for the notice given.
- The cancellation followed genuinely extraordinary circumstances the airline could not have avoided.
- The flight had no qualifying EU/EEA/UK connection under these regulations.
How do the EU261 cancellation rules compare with the UK's?
EU Regulation 261/2004 covers flights departing any EU/EEA airport (any airline) and flights arriving in the EU/EEA on an EU/EEA carrier.
For a cancellation, Article 5 gives you the right to reimbursement or rerouting under Article 8 and care under Article 9. Fixed compensation under Article 7 (€250–€600) may also apply unless the airline told you 14+ days ahead, rerouted you within the stated time limits, or proves extraordinary circumstances.
The rerouting thresholds follow the notice. With 7–14 days' notice, a replacement must leave no more than 2 hours early and land under 4 hours late. With under 7 days' notice, it must leave under 1 hour early and land under 2 hours late.
How much flight cancellation compensation do you get?
EU261 / UK261 cancellation compensation by flight distance
| Flight | Amount |
|---|---|
| Up to 1,500 km | €250 |
| 1,500–3,500 km (and all intra-EU over 1,500 km) | €400 |
| Over 3,500 km | €600 |
Where a replacement flight was offered, the amount may be reduced by 50% if the delay to arrival stayed within the limits in Article 7(2). Amounts are per passenger and illustrative until we verify eligibility.
What should you do when the airline cancels?
- 1Note when the airline told you about the cancellation and how much notice that gave you.
- 2Decide and record whether you want a refund or rerouting, and tell the airline.
- 3Ask the airline, in writing, for the reason for the cancellation.
- 4Keep receipts for meals, refreshments and any accommodation while you waited.
- 5Keep your booking confirmation and any cancellation notice, then check your eligibility.
Which documents should you keep?
How do you claim?
- 1Enter your flight number and date to get a preliminary assessment.
- 2Add the notice the airline gave you, the remedy you chose, and any documents you have.
- 3We prepare and submit the claim to the airline and follow up.
- 4If we recover compensation, you receive the airline's award and pay our fixed €39 fee.
Frequently asked questions
My flight was cancelled — what are my rights?
Three separate rights. First, a full refund or rerouting — your choice, not the airline's. Second, care while you wait: meals, and a hotel overnight. Third, if the airline told you less than 14 days before departure, usually €250–€600 on top, unless it proves extraordinary circumstances.
My flight was cancelled today — what should I do first?
Get rebooked or refunded (your choice), keep every receipt, photograph the departure board and any airline message, and don't sign anything offered 'in full and final settlement'. Then check the flight with us — and see our step-by-step guide for stranded passengers.
My flight was cancelled — am I automatically owed €600?
No. A cancellation always gives you a refund-or-rerouting choice, but the fixed compensation depends on distance, how much notice you had, and the reason. If the airline told you 14+ days ahead, offered a close-enough replacement, or proves extraordinary circumstances, it owes no fixed compensation.
The airline gave me a voucher instead of a refund — do I have to accept it?
No. You are entitled to a refund in the original form of payment. You can accept a voucher if you prefer, but the airline cannot force you to, and accepting one is your choice, not a substitute for your cash refund right.
How quickly should my refund be paid?
Under EU261 and UK261 a refund is due within 7 days of your request. In practice it can take longer, and you may need to chase the airline.
Does bad weather or a strike remove my compensation?
It can. Severe weather, air-traffic-control restrictions and some strikes can count as extraordinary circumstances and remove the compensation right. The airline has to prove that the specific circumstance made the cancellation unavoidable. Your refund, rerouting and care rights can still apply.
What if the airline rebooked me on a later flight?
If the replacement kept you within the regulation's timing thresholds for the notice the airline gave you, compensation may be reduced or not payable. If it left you significantly later, a claim may still stand.
Sources
- Regulation (EC) No 261/2004 — the regulation itself, in every EU language
- Krüsemann v TUIfly (C-195/17) — a wildcat strike by the airline's own crew is not extraordinary
- McDonagh v Ryanair (C-12/11) — care is owed however long the disruption lasts
- UK Civil Aviation Authority — passenger rights — the UK regulator's own guidance and complaint route
Does your flight qualify?
Free in about 15 seconds. You receive the airline's compensation and pay only our fixed €39 fee after success.
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